PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Notre Dame baseball team posted the most runs in a single game in the Shawn Stiffler era, and the Irish took a 21-10 (7 innings) win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. The win secured the series victory and gave the Irish their 30th win of the 2026 season.
The Irish struck in the top of the first. Drew Berkland led off the game with a single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. A flared single the other way by Bino Watters then drove in Berkland from second for the quick 1-0 advantage. Jayce Lee then drew a two-out walk, and Dylan Passo blasted a three-run home run to right field for a 4-0 Irish lead.
In the second, Shane Miranda drew a one-out walk to flip the order over to the top for Notre Dame. Drew Berkland then posted the second homer in as many innings for the Irish as the center fielder went yard to deep left field for a 6-0 advantage. Bino Watters used a bloop double to left field, and Mark Quatrani added a double to deep center field to drive in Watters for a 7-0 lead.
DJ Helwig retired the Pitt side in order in the bottom of the second, but the Panthers broke into the scoring column in the third to make it a 7-1 game.
The Irish responded immediately in the top of the fourth. Drew Berkland hit a lead-off double, and Bino Watters continued to benefit from the wind as he hit an infield single that fell into fair territory to put two on base. Mark Quatrani laced a single to right field, and Berkland raced around from second to score on the play. Noah Coy drove in Watters with a fielder’s choice, and Jayce Lee drilled a no-doubt homer to left-center field for an 11-1 Notre Dame lead.
Pitt plated three runs in the bottom half of the fourth to make it an 11-4 game.
Notre Dame came back with the offense in the top of the fifth. Jamie Zee led off with a single, and Shane Miranda drew a full-count walk. Mark Quatrani then delivered a two-out single to left field to drive in Zee for a 12-4 Irish lead. The bottom half of the inning saw Pittsburgh post a home run for a 12-5 score through five complete.
The Irish put a nine-spot on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Jamie Zee, Drew Berkland, Mark Quatrani and Jayce Lee all hit home runs as the Irish tied the ballpark record at Charles L. Cost Field for the most home runs in a game by a team with seven. Shane Miranda added a bases-loaded hit by pitch effort to put the Irish ahead 21-5.
The Panthers countered with five runs in the bottom half of the inning as the score moved to 21-10 in favor of the Irish.
Xavier Hirsch retired the Pittsburgh side in order in the bottom of the seventh to close out the 21-10 win via the 10-run rule.
Drew Berkland went 4-for-6 with two home runs, a double, four RBI and four runs scored. Jayce Lee was 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI, a walk and three runs scored. Mark Quatrani added a 4-for-6 effort with a homer, a double, five RBI and a run. Dylan Passo was 2-for-3 at the dish with a home run, two walks, three RBI and three runs scored. Jamie Zee added a 3-for-4 performance with a home run, three RBI and two runs.
Bino Watters went 4-for-6 with a double, an RBI and four runs. Mason Barth had two his and a run, and Shane Miranda added a hit, an RBI and two runs with two walks.
DJ Helwig had the start on the mound and went 2.2 for the Irish. Eli Thurmond added an inning with a strikeout, and Caden Crowell went 2.0 with two strikeouts. Radek Birkholz posted one-third of an inning with a strikeout for the Irish. Xavier Hirsch closed out the game with a three-up, three-down inning and picked up the win.
The Irish (30-21, 13-17 ACC) will await the conclusion of league play on Saturday to find out their seeding and game in the ACC Tournament, which begins on Tuesday, May 19 at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.